Apparatus for flanging and curving metal strips



E. J. BODDY APPARATUS FOR FLANGING AND CURVING METAL STRIPS 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1944 MIL\ lNVE/VTOI? EDWHRD JOHN 8000) y 6, 1947- E. J. BODDY 2,420,064

APPARATUS FOR FLANGING AND GURVINGv METAL STRIPS F iled Feb. 28, 1944 a Sheets-Sheet 2 I I/YI E/V TOR 604447170/0 lYBOPDY mm B E. J. BODDY May 6, 1947.

APPARATUS FOR FLANGING AND CURVING METAL STRIPS Filed Feb. 28, 1944 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 x Md E. J; B'ODDY May 6, 1947.

APPARATUS FOR FLANGING AND CURVING METAL STRIPS Fild Feb. 28, 1944 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V5 717/? Eon x7170 JOHN B000),

May 6, 1947. E. J. BODDY 2,420,064

APPARATUS FOR FLANGING AND CURVING METAL STRIPS I Filed Feb. 28, 1944 I 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 all FFO/P/VEY y 5, 1947. E. J. BODDY 2,420,064

APPARATUS FOR FLANGING AND CURVING, METAL STRIPS Filed Feb. 28, 1944 Q 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 May 6, 1947. E. J. BODDY 2,420,064

APPARATUS FOR FLANGING AND CURVING METAL STRIPS Filed Feb. 28', 1944 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 LJ INVENTUI? EDW/YRO JOHN 8000}{,

y 6, 1947. E. J. B'QD Y 2,420,064

APPARATUS FOR FLANGING AND CURVING METAL STRIPS Filed Feb. 2a, 1944 s Sheets-Shes; s

IN l/EN To? sow/mo JOHN 5000) Patented May 6, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR FLANGING AND CURVING METAL STRIPS 7 Claims.

Means such as shown in my British Patent No. 536,935, are known for flanging sheet metal plates, strips and the like comprising a pair of plates, strips or like members, of a shape corresponding with that of the finished article and adapted to serve as clamping members for the work, a plurality of frames adapted to be linked together and to be guided by said pair of plates, strips or like members, forming rollers and/or dies carried by said frames and means for drawing said frames, in succession, along said pair of plates, strips or like members to cause the rollers and/or dies to act progressively on the work.

In that apparatus each frame may be of substantially rectangular form with its sides bored to give passage to two cross Pins which may serve as spindles for rollers or as positioning means for dies, said rollers and/or dies being so disposed within the frame that said frame with its rollers, or roller and die, or dies, may be threaded on to the clamping members which pass through a central space between two rollers or dies or between a roller and a die, whilst the means for drawing the frames, in succession, along said pair of clamping members may include a chainlike series of pivotally connected links carrying guide rollers or like means for co-operating with said clamping members so that the force necessary to draw the fianging means along said clamping members may be applied in the most advantageous direction. Further, each frame may carry at the central part of its sides adjustable or replaceable packing pieces to centralize it according to the combined thickness of the clamping members and the work held therebetween.

Whilst this known apparatus is most efficient for the purpose of forming the work to the required shape and cross-sectional configuration, it has the disadvantage that much space is necessary for its operation and the object of the present invention is to enable the forming advantages of the known apparatus to be put into practice in a more confined space.

To that end and according to the present invention, the required relative movement between the forming rollers and/ or dies, on the one hand, and the work, on the other hand, is obtained by the provision of an abutment for the interconnected frames and of means for moving a clamping member and the work through said frames.

The abutment for the frames may be bifurcated to straddle a clamping member or members and the work, which may lie in a vertical plane or in a horizontal plane and the abutment may present bearings for the spindle of a gear wheel, the teeth' of which are to engage corresponding teeth along one of the clamping members. Preferably the gear wheel has peg teeth and one of the clamping member or one of the clamping members is formed with a series of corresponding holes. The gear Wheel itself may have a. dogtooth engagement with a driving sleeve, and in some cases two or more such gear wheels may be provided on the same spindle to coact with parallel sets of holes in the clamping member.

The abutment may constitute a removable head which can be fitted on to a machine having a shaft to engage and drive the driving sleeve for the gear Wheel or wheels, such heads being interchangeable so that an appropriate head may be employed according to the nature (e. g. thickness of the metal to be formed) of the work and whether the work is to move in a horizontal plane or in a vertical plane. If desired, there may be mounted on the head a pressure roller screw-adjustable according to the combined thickness of the clamping members and the Work.

The interconnected frames may be arranged all at the same side of the abutment, in which event the work is drawn or pushed through the dies and/or rollers; alternatively some of the frames may be on the one side and some on the other side of the abutment, in which event the work will be drawn through the dies and/or rollers at the one side of the abutment and will be pushed through those at the other side of the abutment. The linking together of the frames enables the force necessary for the forming operation to be applied in the most advantageous direction, i. e. in the present instance the frames automatically assume positions at right angles to the track of the clamping members and the work as they pass through said frames. For a like purpose the connections between the abutment and the adjacent frame (or frames, when some are on one side and some on the other side of the abutment) are preferably in the form of universal joints.

In some cases the linking together of the frames themselves and of a frame (or frames) with the abutment may be effected by clamping said parts to a pair of flexible steel strips.

The apparatus of the present invention may take different forms according to the nature of the work to be performed and for the sake of example, some of these forms are illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form showing the work in progress; Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional side view of the abutment thereof; Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and '7 are side views (i. e. in the order in which the work passes therethrough) of the frames showing the rollers and/or dies and the sections to which the work is brought successively; Figure 8 is a plan showing the frames connected with the abutment and Figure 9 is a similar View showing how the frames adapt themselves to the plan of the work to be produced;

Figures 10 and 11 are respectively a front view and a side view of another form of the apparatus, said view being partly in section and taken along the line H-ll of Figure 10, and Figure 12 is a section along the line l2-I2 of Figure 10.

As shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2; a machine a from which project a spindle b has arranged therein means (including gearing, clutches and the like, not shown) for driving the spindle b and a bed on which is disposed a removable abutment or head d, the base of which is formed with a rib e to fit into a groove in the bed 0 and the back of which is formed with a recess to receive a pin ,f projecting from the machine a, said base being apertured to give passage to holding down bolts 9 The fabiitment d substantially rectangular and provided with bearings for the spindle b, the outer part of the latterbeing or reduced diameter and having disposed thereon sleeves 7'3 and a peg-tooth gear Wheel It, said sleeves W and gear wh'efel k 'havi'n'g'la driving connectiontv'ith one another With the spindle b b? means of dog teeth a at in At the lower part {if "the abutment d is arranged a pressure roller n 'm'duntid 'oha fork o the shank p of which screw threaded and cooperates with an inte haliy threaded, externally knurled wheel q rotatable in a suitable gap in said abutment.

r e' work, consisting initially of a suitably s aped hat strip of ni'eta-l r is clamped along the central portion 'of'its widthiby any con'veni'eht mea s notshown) between a pair of corrspbn'dingly shaped plates, strips or like members st of which the upper member s is formed with a series of holes zt correspondingly withtthe peg teeth of the gear wheel 16 by the ion of which it is advanced through the at 'ratu's taking with it the 'workr and the lov'vr member if. Secured toth'e abutment d are it series of frames u each carrying forming rollers 11 and/or dies in; inthfe present instance the heme carrying the first roller '19 and die g: ismounte'd at the leading side of the abutthe [fines were mounted at the tiailing side thereof and fare interconnected by linksy through which pafss pintle s 2 at the top "and bottom breach frame 22., As showh in Fi'gur'es 8 and 9 those frames 1: which are adjacent to the abut- -r has; dare connected therewith through links 2], 2 l Which are ban and socket jointed at 22; Frgur 8 shows the assemblage of f am s b before the work passes therethrough and Figure 9 illustrates how the frames 0 matically 'ass'um'e positions at right angles tothe tracker the clamping members and work as they through said frames. A

,It is to be understood that the machine a, which may contain an electric motor, reduction, clutch and like gearing, will servefor theflanging or any sheet metal plates, strips and the like aft'er a suitable head orabutment d, frames i) .7. sleeves 9'7 and again wheel or gear wheels such as k have been mounted in positi'pnin relation to the spindle b of said machine, ait'er which the Work '1 and its clamping me'm: 15ers st are introduced between the forming rollejr's and/ or dies w and/or of the first frame '9, ilhere'aft'er the engagement of the peg teeth of the gear wheel is with the apertures u in the clamping member s draws the work through the iirst frame '0 and pushes it through the rmain mg fraine's i showh in Figure 1), the cr'oss sectional can:

t alright side of Fig 1) and the remaining 1 auto- (when they are arranged as H figuration of the work r being altered progressively, as indicated in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the frames '0 accommodating themselves to the plan shape of the work as indicated in Figure 9. p

i some cases, however, it is desirable that the work; instead of lying in a horizontal plane as shown in Figures 1 to 9, should lie in a vertical plane; Figures 10 and 11 show a U-shaped abutment d for this purpose furnished With a pair of peg toothed wheels kk.

In this particular case the work r is fed in between a pair of guides 23, 23, at the leading side of the abutment d, the apertured clamping member s is :Eorm'ed with two sets of holes to be engaged by the teeth of the Wheels kfk and with a rib 2d at its underside toproduce a groove centrally along the work 1'', There is he second m'ov'able clamping member tas the friction between the rib 24 and the work 1'" is suflic'ient to advance the latter; the frames '0 are all arrangdon the trailing side of the abutment d, and, ihsteaa or being linked together and to said abutment ii; are clamped near their sides to a pair of fiekib'le steel strips suchasfii.

Inasmuch a draw bench is unnecessary it follows t at the improved apparatus er the pres ent inyention may be operated; for any given piece of work, in a mere restricted space than the known apparatus.

1-. Means for flanging work consisting of sheet metal plates; strips or the like, comprising a clam-ping member the shape of which corresponds with that of the article to be produced, means for cla'niping the work to said clamping memher, a pmrehtytr frames pivotally connected together and adapted to take up positions correspending with the shape of said clamping member, forming means carried by said frames, an abutment for said interconnected frames, said abiit'm'ent being gapp'ed and adapted to 'give passage to the clamping member and the work, a spindle and bearings therefor. means for rotating said spindle, a gear wheel on said spindle having teeth adapted to mesh with a series of holes in said clamping member, whereby the clamping member and the work clamped thereto may be moved thr'ou'gh the frames a'ndthe forming means may be caused to act progressively on the work; I a V 2 Means for flangin'g w'o'rk consisting of sheet metal plates, strips or the like, comprising a clamping member the shape of which corresponds with that "or the article tb be produced, means for clamping the work to said clamping member, pluraht-y or frames "pivotally connected together and adapted to take up positions corresponding with the 'shape of said clamping member, forming means carried by said frames, an attain-em for said interconnected frames, said abutment bei eap'pedand adapted to give basage to the amping member and the work, it spindle and bearings therefor, means 'for rotating said spindle, driving means on said spindle, a gear wheel on said spindle and adapted to cooperate with said driying means and with a series "or holes in sa d clam-ping member, where'- by the clamping member and the work clamped thereto may be moved through the frames and the formin "means may be caused to act progressi'vely on the work. 1

I n ars fir workconsi'sting of Sheet metal plates, strips 61* the like, heath-she a clamping member the shape of which corresponds with that of the article to be produced, means for clamping the work to said clamping member, a plurality of frames pivotally connected together and adapted to take up positions corresponding with the shape of said clamping member, forming means carried by said frames, an abutment for said interconnected frames, said abutment being gapped and adapted to give passage to the clamping member and the work, a spindle and bearings therefor, means for rotating said spindle, dog teeth on said spindle, a sleeve on the spindle and having dog teeth engaging those on the spindle, a gear wheel slidable freely on the spindle and having dog teeth engaging those on the sleeve, said gear wheel being adapted to mesh with a series of holes in said clamping member, whereby the clamping member and the work clamped thereto may be moved through the frames and the forming means may be caused to act progressively on the work, said abutment being constituted by a removable head which can be fitted on to a machine of which said spindle forms a part.

4. Means for flanging work consisting of sheet metal plates, strips or the like, comprising a clamping member the shape of which corresponds with that of the article to be produced, means for clamping the work to said clamping member,

a plurality of frames pivotally connected together and adapted to take up positions corresponding with the shape of said clamping member, forming means carried by said frames, an abutment for said interconnected frames, said abutment being gapped and adapted to give passage to the clamping member and the work, a spindle and bearings therefor, means for rotating said spindie, a gear wheel on said spindle having teeth adapted to mesh with a series of holes in said clamping member, whereby the clamping member the work clamped thereto may be moved through the frames and the forming means may be caused to act progressively on the work, and adjustable pressur roller on said abutment adapted to maintain the clamping member in an operative position in relation to the gear wheel.

5. Means for flanging work consisting of sheet metal plates, strips or the like, comprising two clamping members the shape of each of which corresponds with that of the article to be produced, means for clamping the work between said clamping members, a plurality of frames pivotally connected together and adapted to take up positions corresponding with the shape of the clam; ng members, forming means carried by the frames, an abutment for the interconnected frames said abutment being gapped and adapted to give passage to the clamping members and the werk, a spindle and bearings therefor, means for rotating said spindle, a gear wheel on said spindie having teeth adapted to mesh with a series of holes in one of said clamping members, whereby the clamping members and the work clamped therebetween may be moved through the frames and the forming means may be caused to act progressively on the work.

6. Means for fianging work consisting of sheet metal plates, strips or the like, comprising two clamping members the shape of each of which corresponds with that of the article to be pro- 7 duced, means for clamping the work between said clamping members, a plurality of frames pivotally connected together and adapted to take up positions corresponding with the shape of the clamping members, forming means carried by the frames, an abutment for the interconnected frames said abutment being gapped and adapted to give passage to the clamping members and the work, a spindle and bearings therefor, means for rotating said spindle, a gear wheel on said spindle having teeth adapted to mesh with a series of holes in one of said clamping members, whereby he clamping members and the work clamped therebetween may be moved through the frames and the forming means may be caused to act progressively on the work and an adjustable pressure roller on the abutment adapted to force the clamping members and the work towards the gear wheel.

7. Means for fianging work consisting of sheet metal plates, strips or the like, comprising two clamping members the shape of each of which corresponds with that of the article to be pro duced, means for clamping the work between said clamping members, a plurality of pivotally connected frames adapted to take up positions corresponding with the shape of the clamping members, forming rollers and dies carried by the frames, an abutment for the interconnected frames, said abutment being gapped to give passage to the clamping members and the work clamped therebetween, a removable head mounted on said abutment, a spindle and bearings therefor mounted in said head, means for rotating said spindle, some of the frames being arranged at one side of the abutment and some at the opposite side thereof, the connections betveen the abutment and the adjacent frames being in the form of universal joints, dog teeth on the spindle, a sleeve slidable freely on the spindle and having dog teeth engaging those on the spindle, a gear wheel on the spindle and having dog teeth engaging those on the sleeve, the gear teeth of said gear wheel being adapted to mesh with a series of holes in one of said clamping members, whereby the clamping members and the work clamped therebetween may be moved through the frames and the forming rollers and dies may be caused to act progressively on the work and an adjustable pressure roller on-the abutment adapted to force the clamping members and the worktowards the gear wheel.

EDWARD JOHN BODDY'.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 934,919 Kashian Sept. 21, 1909 2,348,193 Combs et a1. May 9, 1944 857,799 Gangelhoff et a1. June 25, 1907 617,363 Skogse Jan. 10, 1899 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 536,935 Great Britain May 30, 1941 

